One Tuesday afternoon, my family decided to take our Grandma to one of our favorite restaurants for her birthday. On the way, Grandma told us she had heard that there was to be a big storm that evening. We did not argue with her, but we didn’t really believe the storm would come. After all, it was a beautiful day, and the weather forecasters sometimes say we will get rain, and then it never happens.
But when we left the restaurant, to our surprise rain was starting to fall. Still, we did not pay much attention to it. But Dad had an idea. “Let’s go out to Lake Michigan and watch the storm come across the lake.” We thought that would be fun, so Dad drove to a street with lots of trees right beside the lake. We parked close by to watch the storm come across the lake.
Before long, the wind got very strong—so strong that we could feel it shaking our car. The trees near us were being blown wildly, and the rain poured down heavily.
“We’d better get out of here!” Dad said, as he started the car. We hadn’t gone very far before we came to a tree that had fallen across the road. What do we do now? we all wondered.
Dad got out of the car and tried to move the tree. It was so big that Mom got out to help, but they could not move it. Soaking wet, Dad went to the door of the nearest house and asked for permission to drive through their yard to get around the tree. They said “Okay,” so that’s what we did. Pretty soon we came to another tree fallen across the road. This time we were glad to see a narrow path around it. Dad got out and held the branches back while Mom drove around it. We had not gone very far before we had to stop again. This time three trees had fallen across the road, and there were cars on the other side of the trees also wanting to get through.
Dad found a way around the trees and guided the other cars past them, and then he drove our car through. Finally, we made it to the end of the street, admitting that Grandma and the weather forecasters had been right, after all.
Here’s a question for you. Has anyone ever given you a warning? Did you listen and obey the warning?
We have a very serious storm warning for you right now! The storm that is coming is much greater than what our family drove through and much worse than even a tornado or hurricane. It is a storm of God’s judgment. The Bible warns us in Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23) that every one of us has sinned. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That includes you and me. We all have done things that we know are wrong. God must punish sin because He is holy, and that is why His judgment for sin is coming.
But we have good news! “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). God sent Jesus down to earth to take the punishment for sin by dying on the cross. The blood that He shed there is what provides a way to be saved from that “storm of punishment.” Then three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and is alive now in heaven. He loves you and is willing to wash your sins away if you will come to Him in prayer, telling Him you are sorry for your sins and believing that He will wash away all your sins, just as the Bible says.
If you ignore this warning, you will have to suffer the punishment for your sins yourself in that terrible place called hell. Don’t wait! Settle the matter right now and be sure your sins are gone! “Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 3:1515While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. (Hebrews 3:15)).
ML-03/18/2018